The Washington critic., 1887-05-12
SHE DOES NOT CARE.
MIN ETTE.
Tho Fortune of the Happy Little
Singer.

VI puuctte, lOT, suiu Sucj tuc itttc
thing seems to flood every place where
she happens to be with sunshine. One
day as the tiny girl sat on little circle
o! closely shaven turf where stood
fine marble statue of Hebe that some
person had given to decorate the hos
pital grounds, singing, as her habit was,
at the top of her bird like voice, one Of
the young physicians came that way
and asked:
What is beneath you, my happy
baby p
Grass" replied the child, promptly,
pulling her scant check skirt about her
dimpled knees, 'or do you see a bug or
an ant, or any creeping ihing?" and
she looked about her uneasily.
Nothing of the kind, little one"
said the young man, laughing. What
Is beneath the grassY"
"Dirt is," said Minette, shutting her
rosy lips very tight II know saw
Paul, the gardener. plant rose. tree"
Very good. What Is beneath the
Don't know" and the rosy lips
pursed themselves In puzzled expires.
sion.
II will tell you, my small beauty"
said the young doctor, mysteriously.
ut is China, and the people who live
~ there look like the pictures on Mad.
ame's tea set and on the fire screen In
the old Doctors room. If you sing
long enough and loud enough they
will hear you and come, bringing what.
ever you like best
4 81 would like best q mamma and
papa" The answer was at once forth
coming and the lips tightly closed.
"And wax doll and kitten"
mo, my mamma and my papa will
get what else / want. ] shall sing for
I them"
"Well, must say that, considering
the circumstances, you have very clear
ideas of parental responsibilities, and
the young man went laughing on his
way, laughing again as he paused a
moment at the hospital door to listen
to Minette, who seemed to have tuned
her pipes anew In order to raise her
Chinese benefactors.
"You are happy infant - said
nurse girl next day, who was crossing
the bit Of park and could not resist the
temptation Of speaking to Minette-few
people could.
"Oh, it is not Just simply because l
am happy that l sing" confided the
little girl. "Have you heard that China
is just beneath, and If the funny peo-
pie there hear me sing they will come,
bringing me just exactly what am
wishing for most of anything? The
good DR.. Octave told me so" This
with sideways perk of the small head
and questioning look In the blue
eyes.
settling her white muslin cap on her
head with both her hands; "but fear
he did not tell you that you must not be
forever singing the same song. for the
queer people In China, who dwell be-
meath you, will not come until they
hear the song they like best"
"Oh dear !" sighed Minette, pctuleni
for Just moment. at may be that
do not know the song they like best
l will sing them all over, and If they
do not appear, you, Babette, mus
teach me another"
"Will you be pleased to teach me a
song that do not already know?" wa;
the little girls quaint request to nearly
every stranger who entered the ground:
after that.
Sometimes the petition was granted
sometimes 1t was not, but everyone
went away with pleasant thought OF
Mlnet,c hung like picture on the gal
lery of memory.
One morning lady and gentleman
came quietly In at the gate and walked
about, silently regarding the children
playing here and there. As usua
Minettc was Oh the circular bit of tur
at the base of the statue Of Hebe. Fol
she supposed that odly In that very
! spot was China directly beneath her
She was singing quaint little Proven
cal love song, taught her only the day
before by q produce vender, and, a
the new corners paused to listen, sh,
said very sweetly:
"Will you please to teach me son!
that | do not already know how t.
sing
"You will first have to sing me tn
ones you do know, my little girl, s.
that may be sure of teaching you on
y that you do not"
"Will you indeed stay to hear then
all ?" asked Minette, eagerly. "No on
has ever done that
Il think we will" and the lady sa
down on garden chair In the shade o
laurel bush, and folded her hands +
listen.
Minette sang her very best, and sh
sang on and on and on, until her powe
of voice and her memory were mar
vel to her listeners. At last as sh
began the very earliest of her bab
lullabys, the lady burst into tears, au
beckoning to her husband who wa
pacing up and down the gravel wal
near by, she said:
This Is the child that have set m
II h., al -
! other. Come here, little one, aud "
will be to you father and mother
"Oh, how did you come froi
China I" asked Mineite, allowing hel
self to be folded in the lady's arm
nothing doubling. 81 thought yo
was to come springing up through tn
turf, and have looked and looked fo
you, but you are here and | am read
10 go-only DIR. Octave must be toll
for 1t was he who first told me thu
China was just beneath.
Mr.. and Mrs. Louis were the kinle'
of parents to the little founding, an
she proved herself to be valuable SUI
beam in their home. All the peopI
on the estate loved the bright, cheerful
thoughtful young girl, and her III
was useful as well as happy one.
When all the promises of her oea'
tiful, budding womauhood SCENE
isurest, death took from her in on
I. week her loving foster parents; an
then 1t became known that they ha
neglected to make any provision fc
her support, The relations and he'll
of her adopted parents offered her
home with them, and there were se'
eral suitors for her hand in marrlag
but mo, she said, 81 will go back
the dear old hospital that gave me